Friday Afternoon News, April 26

County Fire Departments Busy With Grass Fires

(Le Mars) -- Grass fires have kept some Plymouth County Fire Departments busy on this Friday. The Hinton Fire Department responded to a grass fire that was reported at about 9:35 a.m. this morning. That fire was located along county road K-18 and West Loop Road. Fire officials were on the scene for a half an hour.Meanwhile, the Le Mars Fire Department was called to a field fire near 130th Street and Nature Avenue, near Highway 60 on Friday afternoon. The fire was reported at about 12:35 p.m. Fire crews needed to use three trucks to surround the fire's perimeter and keep it from spreading any further. A brush pile was purposely set on fire, but quickly got out of control and spread to a nearby corn field burning approximately twenty acres. Smoke could be seen for miles as fire officals arrived at the scene. There was no one attending the fire when officials arrived on the scene. Officials were on the scene for more than an hour.

Okoboji School Told To Drop "O" Logo

OKOBOJI, Iowa (AP) - A northwest Iowa school district superintendent says the Okoboji Pioneers team will phase out its use of an "O" logo after receiving complaints from the Universityof Oregon. Superintendent Gary Janssen says the district will phase out use of the maroon logo at the request of the Eugene, Ore., university. Oregon has trademarked its green or yellow emblem, designed by athletic apparel company Nike Janssen says he has drafted a plan to stop using the logo and has asked Oregon for time, noting the district has used the logo for nearly 10 years. Matt Dyste, the university's director of marketing and brand management, says Oregon must protect its trademark but doesn't want to hurt local school districts and will be patient.

Supreme Court Says Town Council Acted Appropriately With Floating Bar

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Iowa Supreme Court says the city of Okoboji acted appropriately when it took action to close a floating, lakeside bar at a popular marina. The court upheld an injunction Friday that prevents Leo "Butch" Parks from using his marina on West Lake Okoboji to operate the Fish House Lounge or any other bar located on anexcursion boat. The Fish House boat was moored to the marina, which provided bathrooms, parking and access for customers. The bar featured karaoke, hog roasts and "howl at the moon" parties. City officials said the bar violated zoning rules designating the area as residential, increasing traffic and noise in the neighborhood. Parks argued the city couldn't regulate the bar, which had been granted a state liquor license to operate on the water.

Supreme Court Says Police Made An Illegal Stop and Search

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - The Iowa Supreme Court says a central Iowa police officer was not justified in stopping a car in October 2010 and says evidence that led to the driver's drunken drivingconviction must be thrown out. In its ruling Friday, the court orders a new trial for Tommy Tyler Jr. The court says Johnston police officer Brad Lowe violated Tyler's constitutional protection against unreasonable search and seizure when he claimed he stopped Tyler because his SUV's licenseplate covers blurred the plate numbers. Tyler, who is black, alleges racial profiling. The justices don't address profiling but say it appears Tyler was stopped for reasons other than obscured plates. The Iowa Attorney General, Polk County Attorney, and Johnston police did not immediately return messages.